1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a dust cover sealing apparatus which is removably mounted in a side of a vacuum cleaner body for sealing a dust collecting chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a vacuum cleaner includes a suction motor mounted in a suction motor driving chamber, a cleaner body comprising a dust collecting apparatus disposed in a dust collecting chamber, and a suction port assembly for drawing in dust-laden air therethrough with a suction force generated at the cleaner body when the suction motor is driven.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional upright type vacuum cleaner. Referring to FIG. 1, an upright type vacuum cleaner 100 includes a suction port assembly 130 for drawing in dirt from a surface to be cleaned and a cleaner body 120 pivotally connected to the suction port assembly 130. The cleaner body 120 is divided into a suction fan driving chamber (not shown) and a dust collecting chamber 125. The dust collecting chamber 125 is in fluid communication with the suction port assembly 130 through an air suction pipe 128 and is in fluid communication with the suction fan driving chamber through an air suction grill 127.
The dust collecting chamber 125 has an open side and is sealed by a dust cover 140 mounted on the cleaner body 120. As is also shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the cleaner body 120 is provided with a fence 123 protruding from an edge of the dust collecting chamber 125, and the dust cover 140 is provided with a receiving recess 143 formed on an inner surface thereof to receive the fence 123. The dust cover 140 is mounted on the dust collecting chamber 125, with an end of the fence 123 being inserted into the receiving recess 143, thereby sealing the dust collection chamber 125.
Generally, the fence 123 and the receiving recess 143 are integrally formed with the cleaner body 120 and the dust cover 140, respectively. However, since the fence 123 and the receiving recess 143 are deformed due to various errors in manufacturing the fence 123 and the receiving recess 143, it is difficult for the fence 123 to be precisely and accurately fitted into the receiving recess 143. In order to solve this problem, the receiving recess 143 is formed to have a larger width than the lateral thickness of the fence 123. Since the fence 123 is loosely inserted into the receiving recess 143, the sealing efficiency of the dust cover 140 deteriorates.
In order to solve the above problem, the vacuum cleaner 100 additionally includes a packing portion 160 (FIG. 2) made of rubber material, which is disposed between the receiving recess 143 and the fence 123. The packing portion 160 is usually mounted in the receiving recess 143 to be removable therefrom. The packing portion 160 is force-pressed by the fence 123 when removing members 149a and 149b, which are provided at an upper end and a lower end of the dust cover 140, are inserted into corresponding mounting recesses 129a and 129b, which are formed in the cleaner body 120. Accordingly, the dust collecting chamber 125 is sealed in a manner such that an end of the fence 123 pressingly engages the packing portion 160.
However, in the conventional vacuum cleaner 100, constructed in accordance with the above description, the packing portion 160 is required to be disposed on the receiving recess 143 of the dust cover 140, thereby causing manufacturing costs to increase.